Pompeu Fabra University is dedicated to training responsible professionals and citizens committed to civic values and who contribute towards the development of outstanding research. International students become a part of the university community and contribute to its goal of training young professionals with international skills and understanding to increase their value professionally.

Pompeu Fabra University (Catalan: Universitat Pompeu Fabra) is a public university widely considered to be one of the best public universities in Spain and in Europe. The University offers 19 undergraduate degrees, 37 official masters and 9 PhD programs as well as around 60 UPF masters.

Language Requirements

Courses are taught in Catalan, English, and Spanish. Students with knowledge of Spanish or Catalan will have a wider variety of course options; however, there are a sufficient number of classes taught in English for a complete course load.

Term Schedule

Students choosing to study at Pompeu Fabra University can opt to attend the university for the full academic year or for one semester in the fall, spring, or summer.

Fall Semester

End of September to mid-December

Spring Semester

January to March

Summer Semester

April to June

Full Year

End of September to June

As a member of the student body at Pompeu Fabra Universitystudents will have access to all of the same classes as other enrolled students. This is particularly useful for students considering legal practice in the areas of international and foreign law because there are numerous course offerings in business law, comparative law, criminal law and family law. Coursework is aimed at developing comparative law skills and giving students the skills they need to become able international practitioners. Choosing to study at Pompeu Fabra University gives students access to an international legal education in a world class city with course offerings in three different languages - English, Spanish or Catalan. You will be taking law courses with students from Spain, other Western European countries and the United States.

The subject focuses on the study of criminological theories. The objective is for students to be aware of contemporary research and current discussions of the various theories. Students are expected to learn to apply these theories to the study of various criminal phenomena, checking the empirical validity of the casual factors that each theory associates with crime and punishment. Each theory emphasizes some factors rather than others. The subject presents the empirical evidence for and against each thesis, and how they can be combined to provide a more realistic explanation of the criminological phenomena studied most extensively in the discipline.

Penology I: The Criminal Justice System

This subject introduces students to the essential features of the Spanish penological system and identifies the various punitive models studied in penology. This knowledge is necessary for students to be able to choose their research subjects, lay the theoretical foundations of research, undertake a critical evaluation of research results, and develop practical implications.

Methodology I

The objective of this course is to provide students with the methodological tools needed to produce the master's degree final project. The course is organized according to the structure of a scientific research paper. It covers the various aspects to be considered when producing and writing a work of this nature, from the approach to the research problem to its conclusion. Students participate actively, reviewing the literature and the theoretical framework and considering the hypotheses and methodology of their master's degree final projects.

Criminality I: Juvenile Delinquency and Gangs

This subject examines the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency, its extent, recent changes and the explanations for this type of crime. Special consideration is also given to juvenile gangs, their development in Spain and similar cultural contexts, and the explanations provided for this by criminology.

Barcelona is both the capital of and the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia as well as the second largest city in Spain. The urban area of Barcelona extends beyond the administrative city and is the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union. About 5 million people live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. It is also Europe's largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast.

Barcelona is recognized as a Global City due to its important standing in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. It is, in addition, the most popular tourist destination in Spain, receiving over 5 million tourists every year. Barcelona is the 15th most livable city in the world according to lifestyle magazine Monocle. Transportation to and from the city includes Barcelona international airport, an extensive motorway network, and the hub of a high-speed rail system, including one which will link France with Spain and, later, Portugal.

Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the crown. Besieged several times during its long history, today Barcelona is an important cultural center with a rich heritage. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics.

As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Gernalitat de Catalunya; of particular note are the executive branch, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the Province of Barcelona nad the Barcelonès comarca (county). Barcelona was always the stronghold of Catalan separatism, and was the center of the Catalan Revolt (1640-52) against Philip IV of Spain.

The resistance of Barcelona to Franco's coup d'etat had lasting effects after the defeat of the Republican government. The autonomous institutions of Catalonia were abolished and the use of the Catalan language in public life was suppressed. Barcelona remained the second largest city in Spain, at the heart of a region which was relatively industrialized and prosperous, despite the devastation of the civil war. The result was a large-scale immigration from poorer regions of Spain (particularly Andalucia, Murcia, and Galicia), which in turn led to rapid urabnization.

Each year the International Programs department and the Office of Financial Aid work together to create an appropriate semester or year-long budget for the program.